The present invention relates generally to the updating of machine options. The invention relates more importantly to the upgrade of printer and copier machine option features and capabilities. The invention relates in particular with regards to a machine controller, wireless controller support memory units, and wireless enabling keys.
In the office-equipment market, such as for printers and copiers, a common business model is to manufacture a single base “platform” in hardware, and then use the software controls over the hardware to provide a set of distinctly different products. In an office multi-function product this may include both software controlled operational upgrades as well as software controlled hardware upgrades. For instance, with reference to digital xerographic “laser printers,” a basic hardware platform capable of outputting 40 pages per minute (ppm) can be slowed down to output pages at 30 ppm or even 20 ppm, purely by altering the control software which operates the identical hardware. Typical techniques for slowing down a basic hardware platform include simply running the various electric motors at slower speeds, or deliberately skipping an operational cycle (not feeding a print sheet, and withholding image data) for one or more of a given number of hardware cycles. The advantages of this business model include the desirability of selling different speed-rated machines at different prices to meet market demands, and also the ability to speed up a slowed-down machine (such as by loading in new software) should an existing customer decide he wants a faster machine. Also, in a re-manufacturing environment, it is useful to be able to minimize the number of hardware configurations that must be processed.
Machines sold, installed, and serviced will typically require either customer interaction or service representative intervention to enable some or all of the possible software and hardware features. This may be carried out either by a service representative at the time of install or on a subsequent service call. In the latter case it usually requires some sort of password and enablement key. This is typically obtained by the service representative and is then entered into the machine via a GUI or some service tool. Alternatively, customers are required to interact with the manufacturer either over the phone or through the web to get the desired options enabled. As a consequence for either of the above scenarios, there is a burden on the manufacturer's support infrastructure to obtain needed information from the customer and ensure that the customer receives all they are entitled to. Further, the system may also be vulnerable to failure if the machine requires a replacement or upgrade of software and the settings are not carefully kept track of. All of these requirements are complex and add a significant cost to doing business. A further technical challenge in providing office equipment centered upon a single basic hardware platform that may be configured with multiple options, is to provide some security that the option set of a particular machine (such as at a customer site) will not be altered, such as being sped up, in an unauthorized or improper manner.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,600 to Young, the invention described discloses a basic hardware platform of a copier or printer that is selectably enabled to operate at different speeds, such as 40 ppm or 30 ppm, by a combination of entering a password into non-volatile memory within the machine, and also altering a state of a hardware switch within the machine.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,237 to Schron, the invention described discloses a reproduction machine having a non-volatile memory for storing indications of machine consumable usage such as photoreceptor, exposure lamp and developer, and an alphanumeric display for displaying indications of such usage. In operation, a menu of categories of machine components is first scrolled on the alphanumeric display. Scrolling is provided by repetitive actuation of a scrolling switch. Having selected a desired category of components to be monitored by appropriate keyboard entry, the sub-components of the selected category can be scrolled on the display. In this manner, the status of various consumables can be monitored and appropriate instructions displayed for replacement. In another feature, the same information on the alphanumeric display can be remotely transmitted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,088 to Gilliland et al., there is disclosed a monitor/warranty system for electrostatographic reproducing machines in which replaceable cartridges providing a predetermined number of images are used, each cartridge having an EEPROM programmed with a cartridge identification number that when matched with a cartridge identification number in the machine enables machine operation, a cartridge replacement warning count, and a termination count at which the cartridge is disabled from further use, the EEPROM storing updated counts of the remaining number of images left on the cartridge after each print run.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,621 to Richards et al., discloses that in a printer or copier, a removable module, such as a marking material supply module or a marking device module, is provided with a non-volatile memory chip which retains information about the cumulative use of the module and other performance-related data. The non-volatile memory is accessed through a wireless interface, such as an RF loop or IR detector, which is also associated with the module. The memory can be accessed, through wireless means, either by the printer or copier itself or by an external device. The wireless interface can also be used to access a memory which is attached to part which moves within the printer or copier, such as a roller or drum, thus avoiding the use of wire harnesses.
All of the patents indicated above are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for their teaching.
Therefore, as discussed above, there exists a need for an arrangement and methodology which will solve the problem of providing system option updates and reconfiguration without the need for a field service call. Thus, it would be desirable to solve this and other deficiencies and disadvantages as discussed above with an improved methodology for updating machine options.
The present invention relates to a method for managing machine operation options and configuration. The method comprises providing a software operation key separable from the machine, the software operation key further comprising a wireless interface, a memory, the memory further comprising a programmable serial region and an option code. The method further comprises placing the software operation key into the machine, reading via the wireless interface the programmable serial region of the memory and if found blank, initializing with a machine identification number, comparing the content of the programmable serial region if not blank with the machine identification number and reading the memory via the wireless interface and placing the option code into the machine. The method finally comprises operating the machine in accordance with the option code.
The present invention relates to a printing machine comprising a software operations key separable from the machine. The software operations key further comprising a wireless interface and a memory, with the memory having at least an option code region, and a one time programmable serial region. The printing machine also comprises an option code written into the option code region of the memory suitable for directing the printing machine to operate in a particular configuration, and a control system to access the one time programmable serial region of the memory via the wireless interface and determine thereby if the option code in the option code region of the software operations key should be used to configure the printing machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to a software operations key for setting the option configuration of a machine which is separable from that machine. The software operations key comprising a wireless interface, and a memory. The memory having at least an option code region, and a one time programmable serial region. The software operations key further comprising an option code written into the option code region of the memory suitable when accessed via the wireless interface, for directing the machine to operate in a particular configuration.